City Harvest is currently growing vegetables in 17 private yards in Victoria, British Columbia.

“City Harvest is a business which uses urban space in Victoria, BC — yards or vacant land — to produce hand-tended, sustainably produced vegetables to market.”

“City Harvest is also responsible for a pending bylaw amendment in its home municipality of Oak Bay where agriculture – defined as the production and subsequent sale of produce – has been illegal. The municipality’s council has ratified the amendment which now welcomes urban agriculture, and the bylaw will be changed upon a public hearing on the issue in the near future.”

“Martin and Paula sell much of what they produce to the Island Chefs Collaborative – a group of local chefs committed to using as much local food as possible in their restaurants. The chefs reserve some of the produce delivered by farmers each week for use in their restaurants, while the excess is then sold at a weekly market staffed by chefs.”

Lettuce Not Lawns – Farming in the City
Article about City Harvest by Janet Wallace,
Spring 2008 in Canadian Organic Grower (large pdf).

Editorial: Urban farming’s time has come: Oak Bay should revise anti-farming bylaw and welcome the era of community gardens

January, 2009 Update. City Harvest is no longer in business. Visit Donaldstreet Farms in Victoria here.